Holden Chases 30th Bathurst Win

Holden is aiming for a record 30th win in this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 – this year marking the 50th anniversary of the first endurance classic at Mount Panorama.

The 2013 race will be the first contested under V8 Supercars’ Car Of The Future regulations, with Holden represented by 16 new VF Commodores in the 29-car field, led by the factory Holden Racing Team and defending Bathurst champions, Red Bull Racing Australia.

GM Holden Motorsport and Sponsorship Manager Simon McNamara said Bathurst continued to be the most important race on the calendar.

“Bathurst is Australia’s Great Race, it’s the biggest event of the year and the one that captures the attention of all Australians,” McNamara said.

“It’s also an extremely tough race and wins on Mt Panorama are never easy to achieve, which makes us very proud of Holden’s record on the mountain.

“This year’s race is particularly important as it’s the first in a new era of V8 Supercars, there are more manufacturers and an increased level of competition and rivalry.

“We have had to adapt to changing technical regulations many times in the past, but the record books shows that we have always remained competitive.”

Holden celebrates 45 years since it first won the Bathurst classic in 1968, Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland collecting the crown in their HK Monaro GTS 327.Â

Since then, Holden has amassed a record 29 victories – 12 more than its nearest competitor, arch-rival Ford.

It also celebrates the 30th anniversary of Holden veteran John Harvey’s first and only Bathurst win, with Peter Brock and Larry Perkins in the 1983 race, 20 years since Perkins and the late Gregg Hansford’s 1993 triumph, and 10th anniversary of Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly’s dominating 2003 victory.

Holden’s most recent win was delivered last year by Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell in their Triple Eight Race Engineering VE Commodore Series II.

The new VF Commodore has had a highly successful debut season, winning 22 of the first 28 races, securing the Manufacturers Championship for Holden as early as July.

“VF Commodore has already established a world-class reputation as both a road car and a race car,” McNamara said.

“Its predecessor won the past four straight Great Races; VF has big shoes to fill, but we’re confident it can continue Holden’s winning tradition at Mount Panorama.”

Three-time Bathurst winner, Garth Tander is joined for the third straight year in the #2 HRT Commodore by rookie 2011 winner Nick Percat, while 2010 V8 Champion James Courtney is partnered by four-time Bathurst winner Greg Murphy.

Whincup and Dumbrell reunite to defend their crown for Red Bull Racing Australia, and head to Bathurst in fine form after a dominant victory at last month’s Wilson Security Sandown 500, while five-time Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes is again paired with Warren Luff.

“One of the most encouraging aspects of this season has been the number of Holdens at the front of the field,” McNamara said.

“The results are a credit to our teams, and Holden Motorsport Technical Manager Peter Harker, who coordinated the homologation of VF in conjunction with HRT and Triple Eight Race Engineering.

“It’s going to be a tough race, but we are confident we have the drivers, teams and cars to grab the ultimate success and have the entire country thinking Holden.”

Practice for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 starts this Thursday, 10 October, followed by qualifying on Friday, the Top 10 Shootout on Saturday and the 1000km race on Sunday.

Holden Motorsport has designed a comprehensive Bathurst 1000 infographic, available for download. The infographic details Holden's 29 Bathurst winners, the two greatest laps in Bathurst history, the features of the new VF Commodore race car, a typical pit-stop and a full fast lap of the Mountain. Fans can download the infographic by clicking HERE.